Our Board

Dr. Julie Washington: Dr. Washington is a Professor and Program Director in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). An expert in language development in African American children, she is dedicated to advancing literacy through culturally relevant practices. Dr. Washington’s research and advocacy focus on the intersection of language, literacy, and educational equity.

Dr. Tracy White: Dr. Tracy White-Weeden brings 40 years of experience to a calling of shaping dynamic systems change so that children, families, and communities are well prepared for the
realities of a 21st Century informational age. A relentless literacy advocate, White
frames literacy as a fundamental human right that transforms the family tree when
evidence-based practices are scaled responsibly and sustainably. White’s life’s work
has been to position literacy success for all as a moral imperative that creates a place at
the table for every child and adult, regardless of zip code or country of origin. Currently,
White serves as Founder and President of Upstream Education for All.

Dr. Keith Magee: The Reverend Professor Keith Magee Th.D., FRHistS, FRSA, is a distinguished scholar and social justice advocate. He is the Co-Founder of the Yale Multicultural Dyslexia Awareness Initiative and serves as a Senior Fellow and Visiting Professor of Practice in Cultural Justice at the University College London (UCL) Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP). He is also a Senior Fellow in Culture and Justice at UCL’s Centre on U.S. Politics (CUSP) and Chair and Professor of Practice in Social Justice at Newcastle Law School, Newcastle University. Additionally, Dr. Magee is the Chair of The Guardian Foundation. He is a successful author of several notable books, including Prophetic Justice: On Race, Religion, and Politics (2021), Paper Tigers: Adverse Children Experience Studies, Faith Leaders Guide (2016), and A Prayer for Our Children (2014). He has also contributed a foreword to Towards the Compassionate School: From Golden Rule to Golden Thread (2015). As an op-ed contributor to CNN, NBC, Time, The Guardian, and LSE, and a pundit on CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera, he frequently addresses issues of social justice, race, religion, and politics.

Winifred Winston: Winifred Winston is the Founder and Co-Host of the Black and Dyslexic Podcast, and the Founder of Dyslexia Advocation, Inc., a neurodivergent organization dedicated to helping businesses integrate neurodiversity into their operations for improved success and performance. Winifred’s work equips parents of children with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities with the tools they need to help their kids become successful readers.

Dr. Tanji Reed Marshall: Dr. Marshall is the CEO and Principal Consultant of Liaison Educational Partner and the best-selling author of the book Understanding Your Instructional Power: Curriculum and Language Decisions to Support Each Student. Her work focuses on culturally responsive teaching practices and educational equity, with a commitment to empowering educators to make impactful decisions in their instructional approaches.

Together, this dynamic team is poised to lead The Institute for Black Literacy in its mission to close the literacy gap and secure the urgent right to read that Black students across this nation have long been denied.